The Light in an Otherwise Dark World
by Packersfan12
Summary: Just a series of short Carol and Daryl fluff drabbles. Feel free to review with a short scene you'd like me to write! Go Team Caryl!


He had heard about her husband. It's not like he cared he had died, but it was a shame. Why? He had left her alone with a child in a world full of death. Of course he didn't care about them either, not really. He didn't care about anyone of these cotton-pickin' people. They'd left his brother cuffed to the top of a roof for cryin' out loud! Anyone who does that is just plain heartless.

But she hadn't left him behind. She hadn't even been one of the group members. She was probably the most likeable person in the group.

Dale was okay, but opinionated. Glen seemed afraid of him. Andrea hardly said anything since Amy died. Lori was an outright bitch who couldn't keep an eye on her kid worth nothin'. Carl was just plain stupid. T-Dog avoided him altogether. Rick was respectable, he had a lot on his plate and people breathing down his neck, but he knew how to handle them. And Shane? He was a dumb bastard who needed to be put in his place.

But Carol was a different story. She didn't judge a book by its cover, and for him, that was a good thing. Because Daryl Dixon had no friends. He was alone in this world.

Carol was the only one who didn't see him as his brother. She saw Daryl, not Merle, and for that reason alone, he kept a watchful eye on her and Sophia. He could give two fucks about anyone else.

Daryl took his boots off and sat them next to his bed at the CDC. He wiggled his stiff toes to make sure they were still there. He turned in place to crack his back, and also cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders.

His room contained a walk-in shower, which was like something out of the future to him. Where he was from, you showered in your little tub, and if you were lucky enough, the water heater would kick in and you'd get actual hot water.

When he walked into the bathroom he looked around in amazement. Everything was black and green marble, the sinks shining chrome. The shower was made of barn glass, tiny white tiles lining the floor. The shower head was chrome and detached, making him chuckle.

The rich always made him chuckle with their fancy contraptions.

He stripped from his sweaty, dirt embedded clothes, scratching his side as he caught his reflection in the mirror. He was skinnier than he was when the apocalypse started, then again, all he'd managed to eat was squirrel. The scars that lined his body stood out like a sore thumb, he traced one on his arm that he'd gotten when his father hit him the the metal end of a hose.

He softly chuckled, wondering if his old man was wandering around out there as a Walker. He wouldn't mind sinking an arrow between his eyes.

He took a long shower, the hot water soothing his aching muscles. He let the water run over his head, turning brown around his feet from the grime that lined his body. Daryl didn't remember a better feeling.

When he finally turned off the water, he found a plush black robe hanging on a hook by the shower. He shrugged into it, the softness caressing his skin.

Daryl, as a man, felt weird to be in a robe. He poked his head out in the hall and found Rick with his head leaned against the wall. He too, was wearing a robe.

"Hey Rick." He called.

The leader turned around and smiled, "Yeah?"

"You feel weird bein' in a robe too?" Daryl asked.

Rick cracked a grin and laughed, "I can't say that I'm don't."

"We get some clothes sometime soon?"

"I think Carol's delivering." Rick said, "Jenner got us all clothes of his old associates."

"Great, so I'm wearing some dead guy's clothes." Daryl muttered, retreating back into his room. He plopped down on his bed, enjoying the comforting feeling of the plush covers. For once since this whole thing began, he felt relaxed.

Daryl hadn't realized he had fallen asleep until there came a knock at his door. He snapped awake and sleepily muttered, "Come in."

Carol quietly stepped in the room, staring at the floor like her usual shy self, "I brought you a set of clothes."

He stood, his black robe falling open at the chest, and took the clothes from Carol. "I know what you're thinkin'." he said, "That's one helluva robe."

Carol smiled, clasping her hands together and said quietly, "It is something isn't it?"

"It's somethin' alright." he said. She smiled and turned to leave, her movements and actions reminding him of a little bird.

"I'm sorry 'bout your husband." He said before she could turn the knob of the door.

Carol turned around, a slight expression of shock on her face, "Me too."

"No offense or anythin'," Daryl said, "but he was one mean sum'bitch."

Carol let out a small chuckle, looking surprised that she did so, "Yes he was."

"I saw 'em hit you once." Daryl said, "Gave 'em a black eye and a bloody nose. No man should treat his woman like that. Told 'em that too. He didn't really like me from that day forward."

Carol listened to his story silently before smiling, "He told me when he got back that he had fallen down that embankment leading to the lake. That was the only time he'd ever gotten beat up besides when Shane got him. He told me I wasn't supposed to go around you and Merle any longer. I guess I never put the two together."

"Hey listen," he said, "I may not be the most likeable guy, but I just want you to know as long as I'm around, you and Sophia have nothin' to worry about."

"Thank you Daryl." Carol said, "I told them you weren't like your brother." And with that she opened and closed the door, disappearing. He stood facing the closed door, thinking about her words. They impacted him so much that he actually smiled.

That was when he knew for sure that he liked Carol Peletier.

_**Yes, I'm back again! But I had an hour and a half between classes today and decided to write a bit. This is the result! So I thought I'd do another fanfic of Caryl drabbles. Because I love fluff. :)**_


End file.
